Assessing the Impact of Regulations on Radiation Safety Culture and Practices in Radiology Departments

Background: The need to establish a strong culture around radiation safety is derived from the assertion that medical practitioners, patients, and third parties should not be exposed to unnecessary radiation. Authorities have endeavored to enact policies to protect all employers and patients in radiology departments. Objectives: To assess the impact of radiation safety practices and regulations on the ongoing improvements in radiation safety culture and practices in radiology departments. This will be achieved through a subjective assessment of national and international rules and regulations by healthcare professionals. Materials and Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey in the radiology departments of three JCI-accredited hospitals in the Riyadh region to identify and assess the impact of national radiation regulations and the accompanying processes on the improvement of radiation safety culture and practices in radiology departments. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the grading system results among various groups of respondents, based on their educational level. Also, there are statistically significant differences between the assessments of safety level results in the answers provided by various groups of respondents according to education level in favor of the master’s degree. Conclusion: The study concludes that technicians with a diploma degree require stricter regulation. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that an exposure tracking system and a regulatory action supporting it may be useful in the ongoing task of improving patients’ radiation safety.

Management and Reconfiguration of a Radiology Department under the Threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019:Experience from Wuhan

Summary:The corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19)is an emerging respiratory infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2,which first occurred in December 2019 in Wuhan,China.These days,in China,chest CT is used for diagnosis of COVID-19,as an important complement to the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)test.Because of contacting with a large number of suspected or probable cases closely during chest CT examination,radiographers are easily infected with COVID-19.This article included the rearrangement of CT examination room in fever clinic,the rearrangement of human resources in radiology department,and the drafting of new operating procedures for radiologists who carry out CT examination on COVID-19 patients.This article also introduced the emergency management procedures of the department of radiology during the outbreak,and the experience of infection prevention for the staff of the department of radiology.

Challenges and optimization strategies in medical imaging service delivery during COVID-19

In coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),medical imaging plays an essential role in the diagnosis,management and disease progression surveillance.Chest radiography and computed tomography are commonly used imaging techniques globally during this pandemic.As the pandemic continues to unfold,many healthcare systems worldwide struggle to balance the heavy strain due to overwhelming demand for healthcare resources.Changes are required across the entire healthcare system and medical imaging departments are no exception.The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on medical imaging practices.It is now time to pay further attention to the profound challenges of COVID-19 on medical imaging services and develop effective strategies to get ahead of the crisis.Additionally,preparation for operations and survival in the post-pandemic future are necessary considerations.This review aims to comprehensively examine the challenges and optimization of delivering medical imaging services in relation to the current COVID-19 global pandemic,including the role of medical imaging during these challenging times and potential future directions post-COVID-19.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patient Attendance and Trends in the Use of Medical Imaging Modalities in a Referral Hospital in the City of Douala, Cameroon

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive influx of patients with suspected or confirmed flu to hospitals, paradoxically leading to a decrease in the attendance for some services. This study aspired to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the attendance of patients at the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department of a tertiary hospital in Douala, Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This was an observational, retrospective and descriptive hospital-based study. Data on patient attendance was extracted from the medical records at the Radiology Unit of Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (DGOPH) between the 1st of March 2019 and the 30th of August 2021. Results: There was a drop in the number of sonographies and conventional radiographies by 25.73% and 18.26% respectively during the peaks pandemic period of 2020 compared to the preceding pre-pandemic era (2019). There was a recovery in 2021 as the numbers increased. Computed tomography studies increased by 40.65% during the peak pandemic period of 2020. Conclusion: This study enables us to understand the health-seeking behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in CT utilization during the peak period of the pandemic nevertheless required caution in order to ensure safety and to promote rational cost-effective utilization.

Discussion on Emergency Prevention and Control Management Scheme of Radiology Department During Novel Coronavirus Epidemic

Since December 2019,epidemic cases of Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) infection have continued to occur in many provinces and cities in China.The radiology department is the first-line department for primary image screening and auxiliary diagnosis,and theemergency prevention and control is particularly essential.This article summarizes and discusses our department’s emergency prevention and control plan in response to the novel coronavirus epidemic.It is intended to provide references and guides for the management work of the radiology department against severe infectious diseases.